The receptacle of the invention will be described in conjunction with a lead-acid aircraft battery. In general, this type of battery usually comprises a plastic interior casing containing interleaved lead and lead-oxide plates immersed in an acid electrolyte. A metal exterior housing composed, for example, of aluminum is provided for the plastic casing. The lead and lead-oxide plates within the casing are interconnected and are connected to internal terminals which project through the cover of the casing. External terminals for the battery are molded to a receptacle which is mounted on the side wall of the battery, and these external terminals extend through the receptacle and are connected to the internal terminals.
The receptacle used in the prior art batteries is usually formed of phenolformaldehyde, or other thermosetting resin. However, this material is somewhat brittle, and it is necessary in the prior art to provide metal bushings in the mounting holes of the receptacle. These metal bushings add materially to the expense involved in producing the prior art receptacles.
The receptacle of the present inventon is made of a thermoplastic material, such as a polycarbonate resin, and may be produced at a fraction of the cost of the prior art receptacles since no metal bushings are required in the mounting holes.